Floyd Tillman

Floyd Tillman (1914 â 2003) country musician who in the 1930s-40s helped create the western swing and honky tonk styles of music. Tillman was inducted into the Songwritersâ Hall of Fame in 1970 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1984.

Born in Ryan, Oklahoma December 8th, 1914 and died in Bacliff, Texas August 22nd, 2003.

Tillman grew up in the cotton-mill town of Post, Texas as a sharecropper's son. One of his early jobs was with Western Union as a telegraph operator. In the early 30s He played mandolin at local dances and eventually took up the guitar.

Floyd moved to San Antonio played lead guitar with Adolph Hofner, a western swing bandleader and soon developed into a songwriter and singer.

He then took a job with Houston pop bandleader Mack Clark in 1938, with western swing groups fronted by Leon âPappyâ Selph and Cliff Bruner. He also worked with Ted Daffan and singer-piano player Moon Mullican.

Tillman recorded as a featured vocalist with Selphâs Blue Ridge Playboys in 1938 and that same year Floyd's scored his first major songwriting hit, "It Makes No Difference Now," giving...